Bottle capping machine



Dec. 24, 1940. L. L. SEYMOUR 2,226,483

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l LYNN L. SEYMOUR ATTORNEYS l 1 I I "3 INVENTOR 1940- L. L. SEYMOUR 2,226,483

BOTTLE CAPPING' MACHINE Filed June 23, 1959 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LYNN L. SEYMOUR ATTORNEY5 Dec, 24, 1940. L. L. SEYMOUR BOTTLE GAPPING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1959 5 Sheets-$heet 5 INVENTOR LYN/v L. SEYMOUR ATToNEYs Dec. 24, 1940.

L. L. SEYMOUR BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filedv June 25, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 i I INVENTO R LYNN L. SEYM UR ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1940.

' L. L. SEYMOUR BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 23, l939 INVEIFI TOR Lv/wv L. SEYM OUR T j a g ATTORNEY5 W 7 3 my? Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Lynn L. Seymour, De Kalb, Ill., assignor to The Creamery Package Mfg. Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 23, 1939, Serial No. 280,750

17 Claims.

The invention is an improvement upon the bottle capping apparatus of my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,164,026, issued June 27, 1939, the improvement residing primarily in the fingers that engage the caps to stretch them over the bead at the top of bottles, and in mechanism for operating said fingers, and for swinging the nozzle members into and out of axial alignment with the magazines that hold the caps.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide a simplified construction that may be more readily manufactured than the prior construction, whereby economy of time, labor, and cost is effected. Other objects will be manifest as description proceeds.

the

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottle capping machine taken just below the bottle cap magazines and the nozzle members;

Figure 2 is a plan view, on a larger scale, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3, showing the bottle cap magazines;

Figure 3 is a section on the line '3-3 of Fig. 2, showing one phase of a bottle-capping operation Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through the upper part of the machine showing the final phase of a bottle capping operation;

Figure 8 is a plan view of one of the caps; and

Figure 9 is a diametric section through one of the caps.

Referring now to Fig.

1 of the drawings, there is shown the top of a closed housing H), which housing is suitably supported by a plurality of spaced legs I Within the housing ID are operating mechanisms (not shown) including a mo tor, which mechanisms are identical with similar mechanisms shown in my prior, U.'S. patent aforementioned, and to which reference is directed for details thereof.

Extending upwardly from the housing I is a vertical shaft I! that is driven by the power mechanism within the housing. Through suit-able gearing the shaft l2 drives a sprocket (not shown) about which is trained an endless chain or link belt l3, said belt having an elongated horizontal reach above the housing I0, and also passing about an idler sprocket (not shown) that is rotatably mounted in spaced brackets l4, l4 depending from one end of spaced angle irons I and I6 which in turn are 10 supported upon a suitable bracket carried atop of the housing ID. The angle irons l5, l6 serve to support the upper reach of the conveyor belt |3 whereby bottles may be conveyed to the caping mechanism of the machine. Angle iron l5 extends across the front of the machine and has a cut-away portion I! that enables the conveyor belt l3 to pass downwardly about its driving sprocket, while angle iron l6 has its horizontal portion cut away as at |8 to enable the conveyor belt to pass downwardly and this iron is bent back to provide an angularly disposed portion I9 for a purpose subsequently to be explained. The lower reach of the. belt I3 is supported in any suitable manner, but preferably as shown in my prior patent aforementioned.

Throughout a portion of its length the angle iron I5 is provided with an upstanding outer guard rail 2| supported at one point a at 22 upon a bracket 23. A similar bracket 24 supports the inner end of the guard rail as at 25, but the latter bracket is extended below the angle iron and is formed with a rectangular member 26, additionally supported at 21. Three notches 28, 29 and 30 are formed in member 26. An inner guard rail 3| is arranged on angle iron l6, both rails preferably being curved as at 32 to enable the entrance of bottles onto conveyor belt I3. Guard rail 3| preferably is adjustably secured to member Hi to allow movement toward and from rail 2| whereby the rails can be made to accommodate bottles of different sizes such as quarts, pints and half pints.

Bolted to angle iron I6 is a bracket 35 that carries a vertically arranged hinge pin 36. Pivoted at one end to the latter is a *link 31, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 38 to a bracket 39 that is secured to rail 3|. In like manner a bracket 40, identical with bracket 35 but spaced from the latter, is secured team gle iron I6 and carries a rotatable pin 4| vupon which one end of a link 42 is secured, the other end of link 42 being pivotally connected at 43 to a bracket 44 that is secured to rail 3|. The pin 4| projects downwardly from bracket 40,

and mounted upon the projecting end thereof is a a bearing member 72 arranged on top of housing lever 45 that extends beneath the angle irons I5, l6 and has its free end portion arranged for insertion alternatively in one of the slots or notches 28, 29 or 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the lever is in slot 28 and the rails are far enough apart to admit quart bottles to the conveyor belt. The action of lever 45 and link 42 is a bell crank action, and movement of said lever sufficient to turn pin 4| will move said link 42. Through the agency of the latter, rail 3| may be moved toward or from rail 2|, and since link 31 also is pivoted to rail 3!, the movement of link 3! will be similar to that of link 42. Hence if it is desired to use pint bottles, lever 45 is moved to slot 29 which movement brings the rails closer together, and for half pints the lever will be in slot 30, thus moving rail 3| even nearer to rail 2|. Reverse movement of lever 45 changes the spacing of the rails accordingly.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1, a table or platform 4.8 is arranged with its upper face in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of the conveyor belt l3. This table is supported across its front by angle iron l5, being secured to the latter by screws 49, 49. At its rear the table 48 is secured by screws 50 upon a horizontal supporting member 5l that extends laterally from a vertical angle iron 52 that is bolted to the side of housing Ill. Additional support for the table 48 is provided by the portion i9 6f angle iron It to which the table is secured by means of screws. Table 48 is of such contour that it will not interfere with the movable parts of the machine, yet will furnish support for the bottles, upon occasion, as when the bottles leave the conveyor belt to be delivered to thecapping mechanism, and after the bottles have been capped and are removed from the movable parts of the machine.

Secured to and arranged above table 48 are additional guard or guide rails 54 and 55 which preferably are curved and arranged as shown in Fig. 1. These rails may be joined in a common supporting section 55 which may be secured to the table by suitable securing means 57. Rail 54 also is secured to the table as at 58, and strengthening webs 59 and 59 maybe arranged outwardly of the section 55 Between one end of rail 55 and the adjacent end of rail 2 l, a flexibly mount edrail section 6! is arranged in alignment with the adjoining rails. As shown, rail section (H has an arm 62 extending therefrom and pivoted to a pin 63 mounted in one end of a bracket 64 that is secured to the front margin of table 48. A tension spring 65 has-one end connected at 66toarm 62 and its opposite end secured to a fixed point 6? on the web 59, said spring normally urging rail section 8| toward the conveyor belt,

but allowing movement of the section away from the belt against the tension of the spring; Rail section 6! is provided with adjustable stop member 68 that is engageable with angle iron l5 to prevent inward movement of said rail section beyond the plane of alignment with the adjacent rails. The function of the yielding rail section 6| presently will be explained.

The conveyor belt I3 is adapted to convey bottles to a point opposite rail section Bl, at which point a bottle feed wheel '10 is arranged to engage each bottle and move it from the conveyor onto another part of the apparatus. Wheel wisremovably mounted upon the upper end of shaft 12 (Fig. 7) for rotation with said shaft. "A pin H secured in wheel 16 extends into Ii] and keyed to shaft I 2 as at 13 whereby rotation of bearing member 12 will effect rotation of wheel 10. The periphery of the wheel 18 is formed with two oppositely disposed cut-out or re-entrant portions 14, 14, each of which, as the wheel rotates, engages a bottle on belt I3 and moves it counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 for approximately 186, guard rail 55 being utilized as a guide in the movement of the bottle, while a portion of the table 43 serves as a support for the bottle until it reaches the next part of the apparatus. Wheel i9 is made in various sizes with cut-out portions 74 altered to accommodate bottles of quart, pint, or half pint size, and'each wheel it carries its own pin ll. Such wheel readily may be changed on the shaft l2 by displacing pin Ti and removing the wheel, placing a different wheel on the shaft and replacing its pin l l As long as a bottle is in proper position on belt It to beengaged byone of the cut-out portions 74, such bottle will be properly moved from the conveyor by the feed wheel. But if a bottle should be out of place so as to be engaged by the periphery of the feed wheel, between the cut-out portions, such bottle will be forced against the yieldingly mounted rail section 6|, the latter giving way sufficiently to avoid compressive stress on the bottle. wheel eventually will bring one of its cut-out portions into registry with the bottle, and spring 65 thereupon will move the rail section 5! back to its normal position and thereby force the bottle into the cut-out portion so that the bottle will thereupon be removed from the conveyor belt in the manner intended.

As is best shown in Fig. '7, a vertical non-rotatable elevating shaft ll extends from within the housing ill to a substantial elevation above said housing. The shaft H is capable of axial adjustment by mechanism comprising a hand wheel 13, said mechanism being otherwise omitted herefrom but being shown in detail in my. prior U. S. patent aforementioned. The arrangement is such that shaft I? may be manually raised or lowered by the turning of hand wheel it to adapt apparatus carried by said shaft to receive quart, pint or half pint bottles.

Mounted upon the shaft Tl is a quill or sleeve that is movable axially with said shaft and movable angularly relatively thereof. The lower end of sleeve 80 is disposed within the housing I 0 and rests upon a thrust collar (not shown) carried by the shaft 11. A worm gear 8i (Fig. 7) is suitably mounted for rotation in the housing it and has an elongated hub portion 82 extending upwardly therefrom, said hub portion being concentrically disposed with relation to the axis of sleeve and keyed to the latter at 83 so as to effect rotation thereof. Since sleeve 88 is raised and lowered with shaft Tl, an elongated keyway is utilized in the connection with gear 8! whereby this connection will not be disturbed by movement of the sleeve. Gear 8! has driving engagement with gear means (not shown) by means of which sleeve 80 will be rotated at the same angular speed as shaft l2 and at determinate speed ratio with relation to the drive of the conveyor belt l3. The sleeve 80 rotates in clockwise direotion as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6.

A bottle rotor 85 is secured to the upper end portion of hub 82 by means of a key 81, said rotor resting upon the upper end of a projection 88 rising from the housing iii. If desired, a thrust Continued rotation of the feed bearing may be positioned between the rotor and said projection 88. The rotor 88 is generally circular in plan, and at diametrically opposite points thereof it is formed with respective vertical slideways 89 in each of which is slidably received a post or vertical leg 90 of an individual bottle table 53% positioned upon the upper end thereof, each bottle table QI being flanged as at 92 to prevent displacement of a bottle thereon. The lower end portion of each post 90 is provided on its outwardly facing side with a cam roller 93 that engages an arcuate cam track 94 that is mounted upon the top of housing I0, concentrically of shaft If. The cam 04 as shown has a linear arc of 245 of which 60 from the roller-receiving end is a sharply upward incline shown at A in Fig. '7, the succeeding 120 being a gradual upward incline to the high point thereof and shown at B in Fig. 7, the remaining 65 being a sharply downward incline indicated at C in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. The cam is so arranged with relation to the other elements of the apparatus that its rollerreceiving end, which is the low point of the cam, and the highest point of the cam are located in the same vertical plane as the shafts I2 and 11. Thus it will be observed that in Fig. 7 the bottle table at the left is in its lowermost position and the bottle table at the right is in its uppermost position. Similarly in Fig. 1 the near table 9| is in lowermost position and the far table is in uppermost position. Adjustable abutment set screws 95 are mounted upon the top of the rotor 35 beneath the respective bottle tables 9| for supporting the latter in determinate, lowered position when their cam rollers 93 are not in engagement with the cam 94. From the foregoing it will be observed that the time required to lower each bottle table is much less than the time required to elevate the same to its highest point. To assure that the bottle tables 9| will move downwardly when their cam rollers 93 move onto the downwardly inclined region C of the cam 94, said downwardly inclined region has a guide plate 96 overlying the same in spaced relation thereto,

and beneath which the cam rollers travel when moving down the inclined cam portion C, said guide plate being secured to the outer lateral face of the carn'structure. Both cam rollers 93 operate in the same manner and thus alternately raise and lower the tables 9| and bottles thereon. An oil seal 91 may be threaded onto the upper end of hub portion 82 to prevent oil from within the housing I0 from rising along said hub or along the sleeve 80.

Also mounted upon the sleeve 80 is a capper frame I00 that is positioned near the upper end thereof and secured thereto by set screws IOI, lfII, the arrangement being such that the capper will rotate with said sleeve and also move axially therewith. At diametrically opposite points capper frame I00 is provided with respective tubular heads or bearing structures I02, I02 that are disposed on vertical axes, and disposed below said heads, in spaced relation thereto and concentric with said axes, are respective finger-supporting rings I03, which rings are integral with the capper frame I00 and of somewhat larger diameter than the said heads. Slidably mounted for vertical movement in each head I02 is a tubular sleeve I04, the bore of which is somewhat enlarged or grooved at I adjacent the lower end thereof, the lower end of the sleeve being hardened and its lower inner margin rounded as shown at I06 so as to constitute a cam for controlling the operation of cap-engaging fingers as subsequently will be explained.

For effecting vertical movement of the sleeves I04 in timed relation to each other, each of said sleeves is provided at diametrically opposite points thereon with radially outwardly projecting studs I08, which studs extend to the exterior of the head I02 through respective vertical slots I09 in said head that extend downwardly from the upper margin of the latter. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the two slots I09 of each head I02 are dis posed in a plane that is transverse to a plane passing through the axis of the capper frame and the axis of the head. Journaled on the end portion of each stud I08, exteriorly of the head I02, is a bearing block I I0, which bearing blocks are slidably mounted in respective slots III formed in the free ends of the respective arms of a forked lever arm H2. The latter is pivotally mounted upon the capper frame at H3, and constitutes one arm of a bell crank of which an upwardly extending arm H4 is the other part thereof. As is clearly shown in the drawings, the said bell cranks are disposed at diametrically opposite points on the capper frame. The free ends of the bell crank arms I I4 carry respective axially extending studs I I 5, and a cam roller I I6 is journaled upon each of said studs, said cam rollers engaging a cam I I1 that is fixedly mounted upon the shaft 11 immediately above the upper end of sleeve 80. The upper end of each stud H5 is grooved to receive a yoke H8, and said yokes are connected to each other by a pair of tension springs H9, which springs are disposed on opposite sides of the shaft 1'! and serve to hold the cam rollers IIG in engagement with the cam Ill.

Since the capper frame I00 is secured to the sleeve 80 and the cam II! is secured to shaft TI, it follows that rotation of the sleeve in clockwise direction relatively of the shaft 1! will carry the cam rollers I I6 around the periphery of said cam and thereby effect operation of the bell cranks to raise or lower the sleeves I04. As is shown in Fig. 2, the cam I IT has a relatively short uniform radius throughout a peripheral region W, which region is 200 in extent, and a diametrically opposite region X of relatively long uniform radius throughout a peripheral region of 40. Said regions W and X are connected by symmetrically disposed regions Y and Z, each of which is 60 in extent. When a cam roller is on cam surface W, the sleeve I04 is in the elevated position shown at the right in Figs. 3 and 7 and when a cam roller is on the cam surface X the sleeve I04 is in the lowered position shown at the left in said figures. The cam III requires to be determinately positioned with relation to the cam 94 previously described, and as shown, the medial point of cam surface X of cam H1 is positioned 45 anterior to the low end of cam surface A of cam 94. The arrangement is such that when the capper frame I00 and bottle rotor 80 are rotating clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, a cam roller II6 will be moving over cam surface Z and the corresponding sleeve I04 will be rising as a cam roller 93 of the bottle table BI directly below said sleeve moves onto the upwardly inclined region A of cam 94.

Carried by each supporting ring I03 is a circumferential series of resilient spring metal fingers I20, I20, which fingers are secured at their lower end to said ring by a clamping ring I2I. The spring fingers are somewhat tapered toward their free upper ends, and are longitudinally arcuate so as to define a dome-shaped structure rising from the inner circumference of each ring I03. Adjacent their upper ends the fingers I20 are reversely curved as shown and terminate in short, uncurved terminal regions I22 which are disposed parallel to the axis of the ring I03 and head I02 when the fingers I 20 are moved a determinate distance radially inwardly. The fingers I20 are of such length that they extend into the lower end portion of the sleeve I04, and when said sleeve is in its uppermost position and the fingers are unrestrained, the terminal portions I22 of the fingers will seat in the enlarged groove or recess I05 in the bore of the sleeve, as shown in the right hand unit of Fig. '7. When the sleeve I00 is in its lowermost position, cam surface I06 at the lower end of the sleeve is in engagement with the convex side of fingers I20 so as to flex them toward each other whereby their terminal portions I22 are arranged in a circle of smaller diameter than the opening in a bottle cap, which caps the fingers are adapted to engage as presently will be explained.

As is best shown in Figs. 3 and '7, a tubular magazine I25 is slidably mounted within each tubular sleeve I04, said magazine having a circumferentially extending external flange I26 adjacent its upper end, which flange normally rests upon the upper end of sleeve I04. The lower end of each magazine I25 normally is disposed at the upper margin of groove I05 in sleeve I04, and is formed with a slightly inturned flange or ledge IZ'I which supports a stack of bottle caps I28, I28. The latter are of the type constituting the subject matter of Gammeter Patent No. 2,157,601 aforementioned, and are shown in detail herein in Figs. 8 and 9. As shown in said figures, each cap I28 comprises circular, substantially parallel top and bottom portions I 29, I30 respectively, of which the bottom portion has a central opening I5I therein. When the sleeve I04 is in lowermost position, the terminal portions I22 of spring fingers I20 extend into the plane of the lowermost caps I28 in magazine I25, so as to engage the lowermost cap and spread the bottom portion I25 thereof into a skirt, as subsequently will be explained. The magazines I25 are readily removable .from the sleeves I04, and each is formed with a relatively wide slot I 32 extending axially from its upper margin to facilitate the insertion of caps into the magazine. The inside diameter of the magazine flange I2! is somewhat smaller than the upper end of a bottle to be capped, the purpose of which arrangement presently will be explained.

As previously stated, lowering of the sleeves I04 moves the fingers I20 radially inwardly, and in their extreme innermost position their terminal portions extend into the plane of the lowermost caps in the magazines I25. It is important that the lowermost caps I 28 remain out of engagement with the tips of fingers I20 until the latter have reached their ultimate inner positions since otherwise they would Wipe across the lower cap and so crumple it as to make it impossible for the fingers subsequently to grasp it. For this reason means is provided for efiecting relative axial movement of each sleeve I04 and its magazine I25 whereby the latter is retained in slightly elevated position until the sleeve is fully lowered. To this end each head I02 is formed with a slot I35 that extends longitudinally from its upper margin, laterally outwardly .of one of the slots I09 in the head. Slot I35 is substantially the same length as slots I00, and adjacent its lower end the head is formed with a pair of outwardly projecting ears I36 that are suitably apertured to receive a pivot pin I31. An L-shaped latch member I38 is pivotally mounted at its elbow upon the pin I31, and. a torsion spring I39 also mounted upon said pivot pin normally urges the free end of the vertical leg of the latch I38 into the slot I35 and toward a groove I40 in the sleeve I04, said movement being limited by the flange I26 on magazine I25, The groove I40 is substantially coincident with slot I35, and, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, extends from the top of sleeve I04 to a point somewhat below slot I35, said groove being of such depth as to be partly overlain by the flange I26 at the upper end of cap magazine I25. The arrangement is such that when the lever arm II2 lifts the sleeve I 04 and with it magazine I25 to elevated position as previously described, the flange I 26 of said magazine will be moved to a position above the free end of latch I38, thereby enabling spring I39 to swing said latch on its pivot so that its upper end is in groove I40 below said flange, as shown in Fig. 5. The latch is thereby enabled to support the magazine in elevated position upon descent of the sleeve I04, the latter moving relatively of said magazine.

The latch maintains the magazine I25 in elevated position until the sleeve I04 substantially reaches its fully lowered position and then is withdrawn from engagement with flange I26 to permit the magazine to descend by gravity. For so withdrawing the latch I38, one of the forks of lever arm H2 is formed on its free end with a projecting finger I42 that carries an adjustable contact stud I l-3, the latter being so positioned as to be in engagement with the horizontally projecting leg of latch I38 when said lever arm is in the extreme sleeve-lowering position. Thus the lever arm II2, by engagement with latch I38, moves the latter out of engagement with the flange I26 of magazine I25 as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, shaft 'I'I extends upwardly beyond cam II! and is connected at its upper end to a hot air blower indicated as a whole by the numeral I45. The shank I46 of the blower is hollow and communicates with an axial bore I41 in the upper end portion of shaft 11. The bore I41 extends to a point below the position of the lcapper frame I00 on said shaft, and at its lower end is formed with a single, transversely elongated, lateral port or passage I48, which port periodically and alternately communicates with lateral passages I49, I49 in the sleeve 80 as the latter rotates, said passages I49 being arranged diametrically opposite each other. The position of the port I48 angularly of the shaft 11 bears a definite relation to the angular position of the cam I I1 thereon, the port being aligned with the region X of greatest radius of the cam, and being of somewhat greater angular extent than said region X with the result that it discharges air into a passage I49 continuously from a brief interval before a downwardly moving sleeve I04 and magazine I25 reach their lowermost position until a brief interval after said sleeve and magazine start their subsequent rising movement.

Passages I49 communicate with an air distributor housing I 5| that is mounted upon the sleeve 80 and secured thereto by set screws I52 so as to rotate therewith. The distributor housing is formed with diametrically opposed vertical bores that constitute sockets in which respective cylindrical valve members I53 are rotatably received, there being ports I50, I in the housing providing communication between said sockets and respective passages I49 in the sleeve. Each of the valve members is formed on its lowerend with a peripheral flange I54 that overlies the adjacent region of the housing. Each valve member I53 is retained in its socket by means of a cap 55 that is secured to the upper end thereof by means of an axial bolt I56, the cap I55 being of larger outside diameter than the valve member I53 so as to overlie the immediately adjacent housing surface. Relative angular movement of valve member I53 and cap I55 is prevented by a pin I51 that extends through the cap and into the valve structure, said pin projecting somewhat above the cap as shown. As is best shown in Fig. 3, each valve member I53 is formed with an internal cavity I58, which cavity is formed with an inlet port I59 in one side thereof, and an outlet port comprising a hollow radial nozzle I60 in the other side thereof, the port I59 and nozzle I60 being disposed diametrically opposite each other, the delivery end of the nozzle being upwardly directed. Each valve structure I53 is capable of limited angular movement in its sock et, the housing I5I being suitably cutaway to permit swinging movement of the nozzle I60. Angular movement of a valve structure I53 is adapted to swing its nozzle between two extreme positions, in one of which positions the delivery orifice of the nozzle is below and in axial alignment with a magazine I25, and its port I59 is in registry with port I50 of the housing. In the alternative position of the valve member, nozzle I60 is swung to a point laterally of the magazine I25 and the port I59 of the valve member is out of registry with the port I50 of the housing.

As is best shown in Fig. 6, the cap I55 of each valve structure I 53 is formed with two oppositely projecting arms I63, I64 of which the latter constitutes an operating arm. Threaded into the free end of arm I63 is an adjustable laterally projecting stud I65 that engages a boss or abutment I66 formed on the housing I 5I when the valve member is swung to the position that carries the nozzle I60 directly below the magazine I125. For swinging the valve member and nozzle to the position mentioned a torsion spring I61 is provided, which spring encircles an axial boss on the cap I55 and has one of its ends in engagement with the upwardly projecting end portion of the pin I51 aforementioned, the other end of said spring bearing against a stud I68 projecting from the lower end of an operating lever I69.

The latter is pivotally mounted upon a horizontal stud I68 returns to point of starting and the axis I10 on the capper frame I00, and has a forked or slotted upper end that straddles a stud I'll carried by a downward extension I12 of the arm II4 of a bell crank aforementioned. The arrangement is such that the lever I69 is operated by the cam II1 through the agency of a bell crank, and concurrently therewith. The lever stud I68 is positioned beside the operating arm I64 of the valve cap I55, and when the bell crank is operated to lift the sleeve I04 and magazine I25, the lever I69 is so moved as to cause stud I58 to engage cap arm I64 and turn the latter and valve I53 counter-clockwiseas viewed in Fig. 6, thereby swinging nozzle I60 to a point laterally of its overlying structure, and moving port I59 of the valve out of registry with port I50 of the distributor housing to shut offhthe flow of air to the nozzle. When the cam II1 causes reverse movement of the lever I69, the

'I torsioni spring. I61 reverses the movement of the valve member I 53, which movement continues until the stud I65 strikes abutment I66. The stud I65 engages abutment I66 before the angular movement of lever I69 ceases, so that stud I68 is in slightlyspaced relation to operating arm I64, as shown in the right'hand unit in Fig. 6, while the nozzle I60 is under the magazine I25 and discharging air thereinto. This provides a small amount of lost motion between stud I68 and arm I64, with the result that when the cam II1 operates the bell crank to lift sleeve I04, the nozzle continues to discharge air into the magazine until shortly after the sleeve I04 has started to rise and the fingers I20 have started to expand the lowermost bottle cap in the magazine.

In the operation of the machine, it will be assumed that the magazines I25 have been filled with bottle caps I28, that bottles I15 filled with milk or other liquid are ready to be capped, and that the machine has been suitably adjusted to the size of bottles to be capped. The machine being set in motion through the agency ofsuitable power means provided therefor, the shaft I2 and the sleeve 60 are rotated at uniform speed,

the shaft I2 in counter-clockwise direction and the sleeve in clockwise direction, and the conveyor i3 is driven at proper linear speed with relation to the speed of said shaft and sleeve,

the upper reach of the conveyor moving toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1. placed upon the conveyor I3 are carried therealong until feed wheel 10 is reached, the leading Thus bottles I15 7 bottle of the succession of bottles being engaged thereby to a table 9 I, the rotation of rotor 86 being so timed that one of the tables M will be in proper position to receive the bottle from the feed wheel. Each table 9I is axially aligned with one of the capping heads at all times, so that abottle deposited on either of the. tables 9I will be in position directly beneath one of the capping heads, as is best shownin Fig. 7, readyuto be elevated to receive a cap.

The tables 9I and capping heads are continuously moving in clockwise direction, and substanitally at the same time a bottle is deposited on a table, the cam roller'93 of the table-supporting post 96 engages the cam track 94 and begins to ride up the steeply inclined portion A thereof. After moving through an arc of 60 the cam roller moves onto the less steeply inclined portion B of the cam track, which track moves the table and bottle thereon to maximum elevation after the table and bottle together have traversed an arc of The maximum and minimum elevations of a bottle are shown in Fig. '7. At the moment the cam roller 63 first engages cam track 64, cam roller N6 of the capper mechanism directly above the bottle is riding along cam surface Z toward cam surface W of cam II1, with the result that a sleeve I04 and magazine 525 are being lifted, and the nozzle I60is being swung laterally from beneath the capper head to enable the subsequent admission of a bottle top thereto. The rise of sleevel04 relieves the annular series offingers I29 of deforming pressure and they flex outwardly, their terminal ends, which extendthrough the aperture I3I in the lower ply of the lowermost cap I26, serving to stretch said ply and enlarge the aperture therein. The lowermost cap I28 previously has been warmed by a jet of heated air directed thereagainst, which facilitates the stretching of said lower ply. The conditionoi the bottle cap at this time is best shown in the left hand :unit of Fig. '7.

The sleeve I04 attains its completely elevated position, as shown at the right in Fig. 3, at the time cam roller I2I6 reaches the end of cam surface Z of cam II .1. At this time cam roller 93 is still on cam surface A of cam .94 and the rapidly risin bottle II'5 has its upper end approximately 'within the finger supporting ring I03. Before the top of the bottle engages the fingers I20, the roller 93 moves onto cam surface B of cam 94, so that its rise thereafter is at a slower pace. As the continued rise of the bottle forces its top against the concave side of the group of fingers I20, said fingers are forced radially outwardly against the confining tension of the bottle cap I28 thereon, and further stretch the aperture I3I thereof so that the bead at the top of the bottle may enter the same, this operation occurring before the bottle is fully elevated and being shown most clearly at the right in Fig. 3. As the bottle still continues to rise it strips the cap I 28 from the terminal ends of the fingers I20, and the latter, relieved of the confining tension of the cap, spring outwardly and are received in the groove I05 in the lower end of sleeve I04, as shown at the right in Fig. 7. Still rising, the fully capped bottle strikes the inturned flange I2'I at the lower end of magazine I25, and lifts said magazine relatively of the sleeve I04, as shown in Fig. 7, the flange I25 at the upper end of the magazine being thereby elevated above the free end of latch I38, with the result that spring I33 forces said latch into groove I40 of sleeve Hi4, below said flange, as shown in Fig. 5. This is the condition that obtains when the cam roller 93 is at the end or highest point of cam surface B of cam 94, and the bottle has been conveyed through an arc of 180.

As the rotor 85 continues to revolve, cam roller 93 moves onto downwardly inclined cam surface C of cam 94, and the capped bottle starts its descent, the capped upper end readily withdrawing through the widely spread fingers I20. Descent of the bottle lowers the magazine I25 until its flange comes to rest upon the upper end of sleeve I04, somewhat above the upper end of latch I38. The bottle attains fully lowered position as the cam roller 93 passes off the end of cam surface C of cam 94, the descent being relatively quickly accomplished. Continued rotation of the rotor 86 brings the capped bottle around to a point adjacent the inner end of guard rail 54 by which it will be swept off its table 5| and deposited upon stationary table 48 to be gathered up for distribution in the usual manner.

While bottle I is about midway of the (le scending movement just described, cam roller I I6 starts the traverse of cam surface Y of cam I IT, with the result that sleeve I04'and magazine I25 start to move downwardly and spring I61 starts to swing nozzle I60 to position beneath the capping head, the bottle at this time being lowered sufficiently to allow the swinging movement of the nozzle. Descent of the magazine I25 continues until its flange I25 comes to rest upon the upper end of latch I38, which is about one-half inch above fully lowered position. Swinging movement of the nozzle I60 continues until the stud I65 of valve arm I63 strikes abutment l66, in which position of the nozzle the valve I53 is open and heated air is discharged from the nozzle to impinge upon the lowermost cap I28 in magazine I25. The effect of the heated air is to soften the material of the cap and to separate the lower ply thereof from the upper ply. The nozzle I60 reaches operative position before the sleeve I04 is :fully lowered so that the lever arm I50 moves out of engagement with the operating arm I64 of the valve cap I55. As the sleeve I04 descends its lower marginal cam I05 engages the fingers I and flexes them radially inwardly so that their terminal portions I22 are arranged in a circle of smaller diameter than the aperture I3I in a cap I 28. Immediately before the sleeve I04 is fully lowered, the stud I43 carried by arm H2 strikes the horizontal portion of latch I38 and withdraws the upper end thereof from beneath flange I26 of magazine I25,'permitting the latter to drop until said flange engages the upper end of sleeve :I04. This causes the lowermost cap I28 in the magazine to be engaged by the fingers I20, with the terminal portion of the fingers within the aperture I'3I of the cap as is clearly shown at the left .in Fig. 3.

The sleeve I04 becomes fully lowered when the cam roller I I6 reaches cam surface X of cam I I1, and retains this position while the roller traverses said cam. As soon as cam roller I I6 moves onto cam surface Z of cam I I I, the sleeve H04 starts its rising movement. whereby the fingers I20 stretch the bottle cap I28 as previously explained. Because of the lost motion between the stud I08 of lever I 69 and the operating arm I54 of valve cap I55, the nozzle I60 is not swung laterally from under the capper head until after the fingers I20 start to stretch the bottle cap, thereby assuring that the heated air from the nozzle will impart optimum elasticity to the cap. The cam roller I I 6 is still on cam surface Z of cam II I when the rotation of the capper frame and rotor bring the various mechanisms of the apparatus to the point of starting, thereby completing a cycle of operation.

Since the apparatus is a duplex machine, it will be understood that the cycle of operations described with relation to one bottle will be performed concurrently upon another bottle in the machine. However, the invention is not limited to aduplex machine, and the apparatus may be so constructed as to accommodate either one or a plurality of :bottles at a time. The operation of the machine is continuous and automatic; it is simpler than the machine of my prior patent aforementioned, and it achieves the several objects set forth in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle capping machine comprising, in combination, means for supporting in stack formation a plurality of flexible caps each having a substantially flat top portion and a substantially parallel bottom portion having an axial opening therein, a circular series of flexible fingers in axial alignment with said stack operable to engage the bottom portion of the lowermost cap in said stack and to form said bottom portion into a skirt and to enlarge the opening in said bottom portion to a size sufi'icient to admit the head of a bottle, means for effecting relative axial movement of the stack and said series of fingers, and means for flexing said fingers in determinate time relation to said relative axial movement.

2. A bottle capping machine comprising, in combination, a magazine supporting a plurality of flexible caps in stack formation, a supporting structure for said magazine capable of axial movement relatively thereof, a circular series of flexible fingers in axial alignment with said stack and operable to expand and hold expanded at least a portion of the lowermost cap of the stack, means for effecting relative axial movement of the magazine supporting structure and said series of fingers, and means for flexing said fingers in determinate time relation to said relative axial movement.

3. A bottle capping machine comprising, in combination, a magazine carrying a plurality of flexible caps in stack formation, a supporting structure for said magazine capable of axial movement relatively thereof, a circular series of flexible fingers in axial alignment with said stack and operable to expand and hold expanded at least a portion of the lowermost cap of the stack, means for effecting relative axial movement of the magazine supporting structure and said series of fingers, means for effecting relative axial movement between the magazine and its supporting structure, means for effecting relative axial movement between the said supporting structure and said series of fingers, and means for flexing said fingers in determinate time relation to said axial movement of the magazine supporting structure.

4. A bottle capping machine comprising, in combination, a magazine supporting a plurality of flexible caps in stack formation, a supporting structure for said magazine, a circular series of flexible fingers inaxial alignment with said stack and operable to expand and hold expanded at least a portion of the lowermost cap of the stack, said magazine supporting structure being in physical contact with said fingers, and means for moving said magazine supporting structure axially relatively of the series of fingers to effect a radial flexure of said fingers.

5. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of a magazine for supporting a plurality of flexible caps in stack formation, a supporting structure for said magazine capable of axial movement relatively thereof, a circular series of flexible fingers in axial alignment with said stack and operable to expand and hold expanded at least a portion of the lowermost cap ofv the stack, said magazine supporting structure being in physical contact with said fingers, means for moving said magazine supporting structure axially relatively of the series of fingers to effect radial flexure of said fingers, and means for effecting relative axial movement between the magazine and its supporting structure in determinate time relation to the flexing of said fingers.

6. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of a capper frame, a circular series of arcuate flexible fingers carried by said frame, an axially movable sleeve carried by said frame in axial alignment with said series of fingers, above the latter and in physical contact with the fingers, means for moving the sleeve axially relatively of the series of fingers to flex the latter in a radial direction, and a magazine for bottle caps in said sleeve, said magazine being so positioned that the free ends of the fingers extend into the plane of the lowermost cap at least in said magazine in one axial position of the sleeve.

7. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of a capper frame, a circular series of arcuate flexible fingers carried by said frame in fixed position thereon, an axially movable sleeve carried by said frame in axial alignment with said series of fingers, above the latter and in physical contact therewith, a magazine for bottle caps in said sleeve and movable axially relatively thereof, said magazine having one position in which the free ends of the fingers extend into the plane of the lowermost cap at least in said magazine, means for moving the sleeve relatively of the series of fingers to effect flexing movement of the fingers in a radial direction, and means for moving the magazine relatively of the sleeve in determinate time relation to said axial movement of the sleeve.

8. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of arcuate flexible fingers defining a dome-shaped structure with the free ends of the fingers arranged in a circle in the middle thereof, a tubular sleeve in axial alignment with said series of fingers on the convex side thereof, the free ends of the fingers extending into the sleeve and the lower margin of the latter engaging said fingers, means for raising and lowering the sleeve to effect flexure of the fingers whereby the free ends thereof are moved radially, and a magazine for bottle caps in said sleeve, the free ends of the fingers extending into the plane of the lowermost cap at least, in said magazine, in th lowered position of the sleeve.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 in which the magazine is slidably mounted in the sleeve, including means for effecting axial movement of the magazine relatively of the sleeve.

10. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of arcuat flexible fingers, a tubular sleeve in axial alignment with said series of fingers, above the same and in physical contact therewith, means for raising and lowering the sleeve to effect radial movement of the free ends of the fingers, a magazine for a stack of bottle caps mounted for sliding movement in said sleeve, and latch means engageable with said magazine to retain it in an elevated position within said sleeve.

11. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of arcuate flexible fingers, a tubular sleeve disposed axially thereof with its lower margin in physical contact with said fingers, a magazine for a stack of bottle caps mounted within the sleeve for relative movement axially thereof, latch means engageable with said magazine to retain the latter in elevated position within the sleeve, means for raisin and lowering the sleeve to effect operation of the flexible fingers, and means for releasing said latch in determinate time relation to the axial movement of the sleeve, thereby enabling the magazine to descend by gravity.

12. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of arcuate flexible fingers, a tubular sleeve disposed coaxially therewith with its lower margin in physical contact with said fingers. a magazine for a stack of bottle caps mounted within the sleeve and capable of relative movement axially thereof, latch means engageable with said magazine to retain the latter in elevated position within the sleeve, a lever arm engaging said sleeve for raising and lowering the same to effect flexing of the fingers, and means on the lever arm engageable with said latch to operate the same to release the magazine when said lever arm has moved the sleeve 'to determinate position, said magazine thereafter descending by gravity.

13. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of flexible fingers, a tubular sleeve disposed coaxially therewith with its lower margin in physical contact tle caps mounted Within said sleeve, a swingable hot air delivery nozzle disposed below the fingers and movable between axial alignment therewith and a position laterally thereof, and means for concurrently moving said sleeve axially and said nozzle angularly, said means comprising a cam and interconnected lever means operated thereby.

14. A bottle capping machine comprising the combination of an annular series of flexible fingers, a tubular sleeve disposed coaxially therewith with lower margin in physical contact with said fingers, a magazine for a stack of bottle caps carried within said sleeve, a swingable hot air delivery nozzle disposed below the fingers and movable between axial alignment therewith and a position laterally thereof, lever means for concurrentiy moving said sleeve axially and said nozzle angularly in one direction, and yielding means for moving said nozzle angularly in the opposite direction.

15. A combination as defined in claim 14 including a lost motion connection between the nozzle structure and the lever means which delays the angular movement of the nozzle toward its lateral position until after said lever means has started to elevate the sleeve.

16. A bottle cappingmachine for applying flexible caps to bottles, each cap having a flat top portion and a substantially parallel bottom portion having an axial opening therein, said machine comprising a plurality of arcuat'e flexible fingers in circular arrangement defining a domeshaped structure, the fingers being fixed at the large end of the dome, the free ends of the fin- With said fingers, a magazine for a stack of bot gers being reversely curved and having straight terminal portions that are disposed in a circle of smaller size than the axial opening in a cap when the fingers are flexed toward each other, and an annular cam structure embracing said fingers and axially movable relatively thereof into operative engagement with the arcuate portions there-- of for flexing said fingers.

17. A bottle capping machine for applying flexible caps to bottles, each cap having a fiat top portion and a substantially parallel bottom por tion having an axial opening therein, said machine comprising a circular series of arcuate fiexible fingers defining a dome-shaped structure, the fingers being fixed at the large end of the dome, the free ends of the fingers having straight terminal portions that are disposed in a circle on the convex side of the small end of the dome when the fingers are flexed toward each other, said terminal portions of the fingers being insertable in the axial aperture of a cap, the stifiness of the fingers being such that when they are relieved of flexing pressure they stretch said aperture and bottom portion of the cap nearly to a size sufficient to admit the end of a bottle to be capped, an annular cam structure surrounding said fingers, and means for moving said cam structure axially of said fingers a determinate distance between the respective ends of said fingers whereby said cam in one position engages and flexes said fingers and in another position limits the radially outward movement of the fingers after the cap has been removed from the ends thereof.

LYNN L. SEYMOUR. 

